Christ Is Our Cornerstone
1878 – Present


"I have consecrated this temple, which you have built,
by putting my name there forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there."
1 Kings 9:3

   Over one hundred twenty-five years ago St. John's congregation was founded on a chosen and precious Cornerstone--our Savior Jesus Christ.  Today our faith and church remains firmly grounded in His words and teachings.
 

     Recognizing Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone of their faith, the group of Christian believers that became St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was formally organized by a number of Montello Lutheran families in the year 1878.  Prior to that year, these families had been members of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Town of Mecan.  From the time of its organization until the year 1884, the Word of God was brought to the congregation by Rev. Adolph G. Hoyer, who also served as the pastor of the Emmanuel Church and assistant pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church of Princeton, Wisconsin.  Until 1881 the St. John's records were co-mingled with the records of St. John's of Princeton.

   In 1884, the Rev. Christian Sauer was called to serve as pastor of the dual parish of St. John's and Emmanuel Lutheran Churches.  During the six years of Pastor Sauer's service, many major milestones were passed. 

    On September 22, 1884, the first property, a parsonage on Montello Street, was purchased jointly by the St. John's and Emmanuel congregations.  On January 2, 1888, ten years after it was organized, the congregation finally incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin.  The name selected for the congregation was "Evangelical Lutheran St. Johannis Gemeinde."

Immediately after incorporation, the congregation purchased the site of the present church and erected a small House of God, facing Church Street.  Although the church building measured only 40 x 26 x 16 feet, it gave the growing congregation the space it needed as it continued to proclaim Christ as Cornerstone but without encroaching on the Methodist Church, whose facilities St. John's had been using.

    Then in 1889, eleven years after its founding, St. John's joined what has become the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. In 1890, St. John's took its first step toward a formal program for Feeding the Lambs of God by constructing an 18 x 24 foot school building adjacent to the church. In the following year of 1891, we find the first reference to a church choir in the records. In that same year, Pastor Sauer accepted a call and concluded his very active ministry at St. John's. 

     In 1891, St. John's congregation issued a call to Rev. August Schlei to serve as both pastor and teacher for St. John's.  He was installed in the same year.  The plan for the school was not carried out, but Pastor Schlei established a two-month Summer School.  Twenty-eight families paid the cost of this school for their own children.

    In 1900, the original parsonage was sold. The second parsonage was then constructed on the site of the first. Meanwhile, God continued to work in the hearts of His children building and strengthening their faith.  With Christ still their Cornerstone, the congregation underwent rapid growth.  In 1904, plans were begun for a larger church building.  Until 1905, all services were held on Sunday afternoons.  However, beginning in 1905, a morning service was held on the first Sunday of the month.  This trend continued until all regular services were held on Sunday mornings.

    During this same period, concern for Christian education was growing.  In 1908, the school building was enlarged to 24 x 38 feet, and the first School Board was chosen.  Pressed by the rapid growth of the congregation, a collection for a new church building was begun in 1909.  Then, in 1911, Rev. Schlei concluded almost twenty years of service by accepting a call.

    Rev. Oswald Theobald began his pastorate in 1911. It was during Pastor Theobald's service that our present House of Worship was constructed.  Only twenty-five years after the doors to the original building were opened, it was sold and demolished.

   Continuing to build with Christ as their Cornerstone, the congregation began building the present sanctuary in 1913. Dedication was held on February 8, 1914.  Much of the work on the church was done by the members who also made considerable financial sacrifices.  The bell from the old church, which was purchased in 1907, was installed in the new church, and a special committee was placed in charge of the tower clock.

    During the same period, the conduct of worship services varied considerably.  Until 1915, most services were conducted in the German language, with only one English language service held each month. 1916 marked the founding of the Frauenverein (Ladies Aid Society).  The organization dissolved and reorganized in 1936.

    In 1918, the number of morning services went from one to two a month.  In 1920, the congregation purchased one-half interest in the parsonage.  Until that time, the Emmanuel congregation had held exclusive title.  Two years later, in 1922, Pastor Theobald also accepted a call and left the parish.

    On December 3, 1922, Rev. William Hartwig began his ministry.  The following year, the church basement was made usable for congregational purposes.  In 1926, a two-manual pipe organ was installed.

    In 1928, plans for opening the Christian day school were being made.  In March of 1929, Mr. Adolph Furstenau was called to serve as the first teacher.  Also, in 1929, it became necessary to expand the school by 16 feet and add a basement.  Building the children's faith by proclaiming Christ as Cornerstone, St. John's enrollment by 1931 had grown so much that the school had to be divided into two rooms and a second teacher was called.  In 1936 the second classroom was discontinued.

   Beginning in 1935, congregational meetings were conducted in English and an additional English service was instituted.  In 1939, the church was completely redecorated.

    In 1944, a teacherage was purchased to house the principal of the Christian day school.  Pastor Hartwig concluded his twenty-five year ministry in our midst with the acceptance of a call.

    In 1947, Rev. Walter J. Oelhafen, Sr. began his ministry at St. John's.  In 1948,  Pastor Oelhafen assumed the duties of both pastor and second teacher.  A resurgence in enrollment a short time later justified the resumption of calls to regular teachers.

  Continuing to provide a firm foundation built on Christ the Cornerstone, Adult Bible Class was instituted in 1950.  1951 saw the installation of the communion rail in the church and a 20 x 26 foot addition to the school.  The addition to the school was accompanied by a complete renovation of the existing building.

  In 1956, a third part-time teacher was called, and the church basement was used as a classroom.  Due to a larger enrollment, a School Building Fund was started and land adjacent to the school was purchased.

  In 1957, a Finance Committee was established, and the name of the congregation, which had varied from year to year and document to document, was permanently declared to be St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.

  The years 1958 and 1959 were marked by a number of alterations to the church structure including the construction of the back entrance to the basement, the installation of the exit on the east front, and the limitation on the use of the balcony. 

   The size of the congregation's property holdings was greatly increased in 1960 by donation and purchase of more than twenty acres to the north and east of the existing property.  Part of this land was dedicated to use as a school forest.  Use of this land for a new school was also considered by a School Planning Committee which was appointed in 1962. This planning committee was eventually converted into the School Building Committee.  St. John's constitution was also revised in 1962.  In 1964, Pastor Oelhafen accepted a call.

   Rev. Paul H. Kolander began to serve St. John's in 1964. During that year he organized a Lutheran teen group.  In 1965, the long-planned new school was dedicated.  This was followed in 1966 by the calling of a third full-time teacher.  The year 1970 saw the addition of a fourth teacher for kindergarten and music. 

   To help proclaim Christ as Cornerstone, the congregation created a Committee on Evangelism and Stewardship.  At the same time, the Emmanuel and St. John's Councils met to seek ways to lighten the pastor's workload.

  In 1971, the exterior of the church was sandblasted and tuckpointed.  The interior was redecorated and new carpeting and pews were installed.  A rededication service was held on November 21, 1971.  In 1975, a new parsonage and office and meeting complex were constructed and dedicated on June 15, 1976.

   The Lutheran Pioneers was organized in 1977.  During the same period, members of St. John's joined other members of the Green Lake Circuit in singing in a mass choir.

   The congregation was privileged to observe its centennial in 1978.  The 50th anniversary of the Christian day school was celebrated in 1979.

   The church basement was renovated in 1986 and dedicated on May 4 of the same year.

    In 1993, the teacherage at 30 Church Street was added to the church's property.   Also in 1993, "The Lutheran Hymnal" (copyright 1941) was replaced by "Christian Worship, A Lutheran Hymnal," and the congregation provided help for the pastor with a part-time church secretary.

    Another change in 1993 was the addition of a fifth teacher to the Christian day school faculty.  The call was to teach half-day kindergarten.  A section of the lower level of the church was transformed into a classroom for the youngest St. John's students.  Several years later in 1999 the fifth teaching position was extended to full time and the kindergarten teacher also assumed the duties of learning coordinator.

   The exterior of the church was tuckpointed and the trim painted in 1994.  In 1996, air conditioning was installed in the lower level of the church.  A crew of volunteers helped to remodel the teacherage at 30 Church Street during the summer of 1997.

   In 1998 St. John's became the 36th member congregation of the Winnebago Lutheran Academy Association, supporting our area WELS high school in Fond du Lac through prayer and financial commitment.  The move made a Christ-centered secondary education more accessible to our St. John's teens.

   Pastor Paul H. Kolander retired in October, 1998, after 34 years of faithful service to our congregation.  No pastor served longer at St. John's.  In April, 1999, Rev. Mark D. Kolander was installed, succeeding his father as pastor at St. John's.  The year also marked our congregation's recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

   Relying on Jesus their chief Cornerstone, the congregation committed themselves in 2000 to some major building improvements.  Phase I of a proposed 3-phase building project was completed and dedicated in 2001.  It included an elevator and a linkway connecting church and school, housing a large gathering area, two additional restrooms, and a kindergarten classroom.  On the outside of the new addition a blue, lighted cross and a fish symbol serve as visible signs to the community that St. John's preaches a Christ-centered message.

   A 15-man shepherd team organized in 2001 to assist the pastor by offering added encouragement to the members.  Also that year, a 10-member Accessibility Task Force was formed to direct a program focused on increasing awareness, knowledge, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities and mental health needs in all facets of church life.  In 2002 a new church roof was completed, and voters approved an interior renovation project to follow.

  2003 marked the 125^th anniversary of the St. John’s congregation. The interior of the church was renovated, and a new state of the art sound and video system installed. New ministries also emerged. The Audio / Visual ministry began recording all Sunday services and providing people in need and shut-ins with VHS and audio tapes of the services. Also continuing to feed the Lambs of St. John’s with the Word of God, the Cradle Roll and Little Lambs playgroup were started.

   After 81 years of faithful but deteriorating service, the two-manual pipe organ was replaced with a modern Phoenix Electronic Organ in 2006. A full time church and school secretary was hired also.

   The following year also marked a change in Pastoral leadership. Mark Kolander left his office as the spiritual leader and the current Pastor, Rev. Peter Zietlow assumed the post. Later in the year, Rev. Rolfe Westendorf accepted a call from retirement to assist the congregation in a part time role.

 

"In every plan and project undertaken, God's people must rely on His guidance and strength to accomplish the work of his Kingdom.  Our strength as a congregation comes in knowing we are "fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." Ephesians 2:19,20

Until He comes again, we, the members of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Montello, Wisconsin, shall continue to proclaim "Christ Is Our Cornerstone!

"May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers; may He never leave or forsake us." 1 Kings 8:57